Casa Rubia, Trinity Groves' Most Promising Restaurant, Is Now Open

For months, things had been pretty tired at Trinity Groves. With only Babb Bros. BBQ and a hot dog restaurant opening since the project began, the options at Dallas' restaurant incubator felt a little one dimensional.

Then Kitchen LTO opened, offering a rotating concept that changes every four months, and then Souk, which offered Mediterranean food and belly dancing. Then came LUCK, or Local Urban Craft Kitchen, whose menu is inspired by craft beer. Casa Rubia, however, might be the most anticipated opening in Trinity Groves yet.

That Omar Flores and John Baudoin are behind the modern tapas restaurant is helping generate some of the hype. The two also run Driftwood, a popular seafood restaurant in Oak Cliff that's received significant attention in the media.

The menu they've put together isn't hurting things, either. Tapas at times can seem overdone, translating to tiny share plates and sizable dinner checks, Spanish flavors be damned. But Casa Rubia has fully embraced the theme with boquerones (white anchovies that will ruin you for other versions forever), Iberico ham and cheeses that should make for decent snacking.

Other plates are more complex according the menu. Picture artichokes with Meyer lemon and aoili, mushrooms with quince and duck egg, and mussels with sour orange sherry. There's also a paella that serves four and changes every day.

You can wash that all down with a crisp wine from the all-Spanish wine menu, or you can sip on sherry if you're a fan.